Bride’s Special Wedding Day Shoes
Great care is taken in the choosing of design for the bride’s wedding dress. It is widely known that the bride will need a unique, stunning, sparkling or plain wedding dress, in shades of white, pearl, cream, oyster or pink. Some I have known to wear purple, red or black.
Thousands of pounds can be spent on the wedding dress from a famous top world renowned designer, or a few hundreds, designed and made by a local stylist, or some, have chosen recycled wedding dresses.
Equally, many brides see their plain, embellished, or grand, spectacularly designed shoes as a keepsake – a key part of their wedding day ensemble.
Quite the showpiece! In some hot climate, sandals are worn, blessed and protected by spiritual gurus, leaders and teachers, brides in the far east have satin or silk slippers made and each intricate stitch and design indicate something rather personal for her – a hidden love message.
Whichever top designer appeals to them, the shoes are admired by all friends and family and guests can admire them upon the bride’s feet, in the videos of the day. Most definitely, shoes are captured prior to the wedding ceremony, in the bride’s dressing room, and filmed by the wedding photographer for her wedding album. The bride’s carefully orchestrated bathing, dressing, having hair and make up on, is then fanfare’d by the slipping of her feet into her wedding shoes, before her wedding dress and veil are attached.
I had always wondered why boots were tied to the back of wedding cars, as a child in the village where I grew up, all of us children would chase the car, and wait for pennies, and silver coins to be thrown out of the window, with the tightly knotted leather boots, bouncing upon the road surface.
The bride would wish for intricate, sparkling, special satin, leather or glass shoes, some gold, with high quality materials adorning them. Limited edition shoes, would indicate how special she was, and symbolic how fortuitous her future path in life would be. High, flat, wedged, or laced, her footwear is as important as the dress, bouquet, veil and rings.
For the bride on this day, they hold sentimental value, as they will be kept forever and treasured, never to be worn again. A noted keepsake.
The wedding day shoe has always been a feature of the wedding shopping spree. Even those who choose to wear trainers, boots or pumps, search for the most perfect, most comfortable pair.
Whatever design, colour or price.
Historically, the shoe was associated with good luck and blessings from the Father of the bride, symbolising his approval that his daughter be wed to the groom.
In some traditions and cultures the Father of the bride would drink from his shoe on the wedding day. Offering well wishes for health, fertility and loving marriage in the years ahead.
He would tie his shoes, or boots to the rear of the wedding car, so when his daughter and her new life partner ventured out into the world to spend their lives together, good luck, health, happiness, fortune and a family of their own, would follow them. Cheers from all guests, neighbours and communities cheering as this gift of footwear bounced behind the wedded couple.
Shoes are symbolic of a new pathway and so the Bride’s shoes, walking her out of the church, chapel or ceremonial space, are carrying her into her new chapter in life.
Warding off negative energy, her shoes would therefore have to be extra special. Never again would she wear them.
In these modern times, brides do make it a tradition to wear their wedding shoes, at other people’s weddings, with new fashionable outfits.
I myself, have a high pair of wedding shoes, embedded sparkles upon them, I shall never be able to stand in them, never mind walk, so I will keep them and refer to them as my ‘Cinderella shoes’ as I shall keep them for my Grand-daughters. They can admire them when I am no longer her.. so they can follow in my footsteps.
Whatever your choice of wedding shoe, know that they represent, traditionally, your purity. Honour, status and ability to move forward in your life to higher ground.
Have you a special pair of wedding shoes, you treasure from your Mother’s special wedding day?
Where are you seeking to source your own wedding shoes from?
Have you particular designer in mind?
Do you plan to drink champagne from your Father’s shoes, or will you and your husband drink from your special wedding shoes on your wedding night, honeymoon?
How much are you prepared to pay for the perfect wedding shoe?
This is after all the new chapter in your life that has never been paved before. Exciting new steps forward from that initial first step into your wedding ceremonial space. Standing by your love. Walking hand in hand beneath showers of confetti and rice.
I would love to stand beside you, as I guide you through your magical wedding ceremony. Witnessing your happiness as you move as one in union from the ceremony out into your wedding breakfast, the beginning of your married life. Kicking off your shoes beneath the table, until your first dance when you return them to your feet. Dancing your first dance with footsteps moving you about the floor, as a married couple.
Lets start the discussion on how you’d like me to convey your love story and perhaps about the story of your wedding shoes, to your wedding guests, family and friends.
Call me.
